Primary drug resistance of mycobacterium tuberculosis in Shandong, China, 2004-2018.

BACKGROUND: Primary drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) has contributed to a significant health and economic burden on a global scale, especially in China. we sought to estimate epidemiological characteristics of primary DR-TB in China from 2004 to 2018. METHODS: Eleven thousand four hundred sixty-seven newly diagnosed and 1981 retreated TB cases with drug susceptibility data were included. Chi-Square test for trends, linear regression, a joinpoint regression model and temporal trend in proportions of the different resistance patterns were carried out. RESULTS: The proportion of primary DR-TB and mono-resistant TB (MR-TB) in China had reduced by more than 12% since 2004, and were 21.38%, 13.35% in 2018 respectively. Among primary DR-TB cases (2173,18.95%), the percentage of multiresistant TB (MDR-TB, from 5.41 to 17.46%), male (from 77.03 to 84.13%), cavity (from 13.51 to 43.92%), rifampicin(RFP)-resistant TB (from 8.11 to 26.98%), streptomycin(SM)-resistant TB (from 50.00 to 71.43%) increased significantly (P < 0.05). On the contrary, the proportion of female, non-cavity, isoniazide(INH)-resistant TB (from 55.41 to 48.15%) and MR-TB (from 82.43 to 62.43%) decreased significant (P < 0.05). The primary drug resistance rate among female, cavity, smoking, drinking, 15 to 44 year-old TB subgroups increased by 0.16, 6.24, 20.95, 158.85, 31.49%, respectively. The percentage of primary DR-TB, RFP-resistant TB dropped significantly during 2004-2007 in Joinpoint regression model. CONCLUSION: The total rate of drug resistance among new TB cases showed a downward trend in Shandong, China, from 2004 to 2018. Primary drug resistance patterns were shifting from female, non-cavity, INH-resistant TB, and MR-TB groups to male, cavity, RFP/SM-resistant TB, and MDR-TB groups. Considering the rising drug resistance rate among some special population, future control of primary DR-TB in China may require an increased focus on female, cavity, smoking, drinking, or 15 to 44 year-old TB subgroups.

Induction of apoptosis by total flavonoids from Scutellaria barbata D. Don in human hepatocarcinoma MHCC97-H cells via the mitochondrial pathway.

Scutellaria barbata D. Don, a traditional Chinese medicine, reportedly possesses antitumor activity against a variety of tumors. In the present study, we investigated the cytotoxic effect of total flavonoids from S. barbata (TF-SB) on human hepatocarcinoma cells and the underlying molecular mechanisms regarding the effect were explored. TF-SB treatment significantly reduced the cell viability of human HCC MHCC97-H cells in a dose-dependent manner. Further flow cytometric analysis showed that the apoptosis rate of MHCC97-H cells increased and the mitochondrial membrane potential (∆ψm) of MHCC97-H cells decreased after TF-SB treatment. DNA ladder showed that TF-SB induced a significant increase in DNA fragmentation in MHCC97-H cells. Reverse transcription PCR and Western blot analysis revealed that the expression levels of Smac, Apaf-1, Cytochrome c, Caspase-9, and Caspase-3 were upregulated in a dose-dependent manner and after treatment with different concentrations of TF-SB for 48 h. These results suggest that TF-SB induces apoptosis in MHCC97-H cells through the mitochondrial pathway.

Functional promoter -765 G > C variant in COX-2 gene is associated with the susceptibility of breast cancer in Chinese Han women.

BACKGROUND: Cyclooxygenase (COX) is a rate-limiting enzyme in prostaglandins synthesis which exists in two isoforms, COX-1 and COX-2. Over-expression of COX-2 was considered to increase the proliferation and enhance the invasiveness of breast cancer cells. It was suggested that genetic variations in COX-2 could influence its expression. Herein, the present study was aimed to investigate the associations between two mostly studied functional polymorphisms (-765 G > C and 8473 C > T) in COX-2 and breast cancer risk in Chinese Han women. METHODS: In the hospital-based case-control study, 465 breast cancer patients and 799 cancer-free controls were genotyped for the COX-2 -765 G > C and 8473 C > T polymorphisms using TaqMan assay. We estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) using the logistic regression. RESULTS: Compared with the wild genotype of -765 G > C, we found a statistically significant increased risk of breast cancer associated with the variant genotypes [GC/CC vs. GG: OR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.11-2.21]. In the stratified analysis, the increased risk was more predominant among the subgroups of younger subjects (OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.00-2.61). Furthermore, the variant genotypes were associated with large tumor size (OR = 3.01, 95% CI = 1.47-6.12). No significant association was observed for the 8473 C > T polymorphism. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the functional -765 G > C polymorphism in the promoter of COX-2 may influence the susceptibility and progression of breast cancer in the Chinese Han population.

Antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of ß-elemene on human hepatoma HepG2 cells.

BACKGROUND: ß-elemene, a natural sesquiterpene extracted from the essential oils of Curcuma aromatica Salisb, has been shown to be effective against a wide range of tumors. In this study, the antitumor effect of ß-elemene on a human hepatoma cell line, HepG2, and the mechanism involved have been investigated. METHODS: MTT assay was used to determine the growth inhibition of hepatoma HepG2 cells in vitro. Apoptosis of HepG2 cells were demonstrated by fluorescence microscope with Hoechst 33258 staining and flow cytometry with Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining. Flow cytometry was performed to analyze the cell cycle distribution of HepG2 cells. The mRNA and protein expression of Fas and FasL were measured by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: MTT results showed that ß-elemene could inhibit the proliferation of HepG2 cells in a time- and dose- dependent manner. Our results showed ß-elemene had positive effect on apoptosis through fluorescence microscope and flow cytometry assay. Furthermore, ß-elemene could induce the cell cycle arrest of the HepG2 cells in the G2/M phase. Fas and FasL expression were obviously increased after ß-elemene treatment in both mRNA and protein level. CONCLUSION: The present study indicates that ß-elemene can effectively inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in hepatoma HepG2 cells, and the apoptosis induction is related with up-regulating of Fas/FasL expression.

The effect of RHIZOMA COPTIDIS and COPTIS CHINENSIS aqueous extract on radiation-induced skin injury in a rat model.

BACKGROUND: Radiation-induced skin injury is a common complication of radiotherapy. The RHIZOMA COPTIDIS and COPTIS CHINENSIS aqueous extract (RCE) can ameliorate radiation-induced skin injury in our clinical observation. But, the protective mechanism of RHIZOMA COPTIDIS and COPTIS CHINENSIS in radiation-induced skin injury remains unclear. METHODS: In this experiment, we developed a radiation-induced skin injury rat model to study the mechanism. The animals were randomly divided into control group, treatment group, radiation group, and treatment and radiation group. 5 rats in each group were separately executed on 2 d and 49 d post-radiation. The semi-quantitative skin injury score was used to measure skin reactions by unblinded observers, and hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to evaluate the damage areas by irradiation. The MDA content, SOD activity of skin and serum were measured to detect the oxidative stress. RESULTS: Acute skin reactions were caused by a single dose of 45 Gy of ß-ray irradiation, and the skin injury could be found in all rats receiving irradiation based on the observation of HE staining of skin at different time-points, while RCE could significantly ameliorate those changes. The MDA content in serum and skin of control rats was 4.13±0.12 mmol/ml and 4.95±0.35 mmol/mgprot on 2 d post-radiation. The rats receiving radiation showed an increased content of MDA (5.54±0.21 mmol/ml and 7.10±0.32 mmol/mgprot), while it was 4.57±0.21 mmol/ml and 5.95±0.24 mmol/mgprot after treated with RCE (p<0.05). Similar changes of the MDA content could be seen on 49 d post-radiation. However, the SOD activity of rats receiving radiation decreased compared with control group on both time-points, which was inhibited by RCE (p<0.05). Meanwhile, no valuable changes could be found between control group and treatment group on 2 d and 49 d. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides evidences for the radioprotective role of RCE against radiation-induced skin damage in rats by modulating oxidative stress in skin, which may be a useful therapy for radiation-induced skin injury.

Total flavonoids of Scutellaria barbata inhibit invasion of hepatocarcinoma via MMP/TIMP in vitro.

Metastasis is the major cause of cancer-related deaths. Targeting the process of metastasis has been proposed as a strategy to fight cancer. Scutellaria barbata D. Don (S. barbata), a traditional Chinese medicine, is used for treatment of many diseases, including cancer. This study aimed to determine the anti-metastatic effect of total flavonoids of S. barbata (TF-SB) using the human hepatocarcinoma MHCC97H cell line with high metastatic potential. Our results show that TF-SB could significantly inhibit the proliferation and invasion of MHCC97H cells in a dose-dependent manner. MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression were obviously decreased after TF-SB treatment at both the mRNA and protein level. TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 expression were simultaneously increased. The present study indicates that TF-SB could reduce the metastatic capability of MHCC97H cell, probably through decrease of the MMP expression, and simultaneous increase of the TIMP expression.

Antitumor activity of the selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, celecoxib, on breast cancer in Vitro and in Vivo.

BACKGROUND: Cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) promotes carcinogenesis, tumor proliferation, angiogenesis, prevention of apoptosis, and immunosuppression. Meanwhile, COX-2 over-expression has been associated with tumor behavior and prognosis in several cancers. This study investigated the antitumor effects of the selective COX-2 inhibitor, Celecoxib, on breast cancer in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: Human breast cancer MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were cultured with different concentration (10, 20, 40 µmol/L) of celecoxib after 0-96 hours in vitro. MTT assay was used to determine the growth inhibition of breast cancer cells in vitro. The expression of COX-2 on mRNA was measured by real-time quantitive PCR analysis. Flow cytometry was performed to analyze the cell cycle of MCF-7 cells. Levels of PGE2 were measured by ELISA method. The in vivo therapeutic effects of celecoxib were determined using rat breast cancer chemically induced by 7,12-dimethylben anthracene (DMBA). RESULTS: The inhibition of proliferation of both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells in vitro by celecoxib was observerd in time and dose dependent manner. Celecoxib effectively down-regulated the expression of COX-2. The cell cycle was arrested at G0/G1, and rate of cells in S phase was obviously decreased. Levels of PGE2 were inhibited by Celecoxib. The tumor incidence rate of the celecoxib group was lower than that of the control group. In addition, the tumor latency period of the celecoxib group was longer than that of the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Celecoxib inhibited the proliferation of breast cancer cell lines in vitro, and prevented the occurrence of rat breast cancer chemically induced by DMBA. Therefore, celecoxib exhibits an antitumor activity and seems to be effective in anti-tumor therapy.

Antitumor effects of rapamycin in pancreatic cancer cells by inducing apoptosis and autophagy.

Rapamycin (Rapa), an inhibitor of mammalian target of Rapamycin (mTOR), is an immunosuppressive agent that has anti-proliferative effects on some tumors. This study aims to investigate the effects of Rapa suppressing proliferation of pancreatic carcinoma PC-2 cells in vitro and its molecular mechanism involved in antitumor activities. MTT assays showed that the inhibition of proliferation of PC-2 cells in vitro was in a time- and dose-dependent manner. By using transmission electron microscopy, apoptosis bodies and formation of abundant autophagic vacuoles were observed in PC-2 cells after Rapa treatment. Flow cytometry assays also showed Rapa had a positive effect on apoptosis. MDC staining showed that the fluorescent density was higher and the number of MDC-labeled particles in PC-2 cells was greater in the Rapa treatment group than in the control group. RT-PCR revealed that the expression levels of p53, Bax and Beclin 1 were up-regulated in a dose-dependent manner, indicating that Beclin 1 was involved in Rapa induced autophagy and Rapa induced apoptosis as well as p53 up-regulation in PC-2 cells. The results demonstrated that Rapa could effectively inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis and autophagy in PC-2 cells.

Accidental venous port placement via the persistent left superior vena cava: Two case reports.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer poses a great threat to females worldwide. There are various therapies available to cure this common disease, such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. Implantable venous access ports (IVAP, referred to as PORT) have been widely used for breast cancer chemotherapy. Venous malformations are possible conditions encountered during PORT implantation. Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is a common superior vena cava malformation. Most patients have normal right superior vena cava without affecting hemodynamics, so patients often have no obvious symptoms. CASE SUMMARY: We incidentally found that two patients had PLSVC while a PORT was implanted via the internal jugular vein. Due to chemotherapy for breast cancer, PORT was successfully implanted under the guidance of ultrasound into these 2 patients. Positive chest X-ray examination after the operation showed that the catheter ran beside the left mediastinum and the end was located in the seventh thoracic vertebra. The patients had no catheter-related complications and successfully completed the course of chemotherapy. Ultrasonography found that the ratio of PORT outer diameter to PLSVC inner diameter was less than 0.45, which was in line with the recommendations of relevant literature and operating guidelines. The purpose of this article is to introduce two rare cases and review the relevant literature. CONCLUSION: Correct assessment of PLSVC status and ultrasound-guided PORT placement generally does not affect breast cancer patients chemotherapy.

Using a risk model for probability of cancer in pulmonary nodules.

BACKGROUND: Considering the high morbidity and mortality of lung cancer and the high incidence of pulmonary nodules, clearly distinguishing benign from malignant lung nodules at an early stage is of great significance. However, determining the kind of lung nodule which is more prone to lung cancer remains a problem worldwide. METHODS: A total of 480 patients with pulmonary nodule data were collected from Shandong, China. We assessed the clinical characteristics and computed tomography (CT) imaging features among pulmonary nodules in patients who had undergone video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy from 2013 to 2018. Preliminary selection of features was based on a statistical analysis using SPSS. We used WEKA to assess the machine learning models using its multiple algorithms and selected the best decision tree model using its optimization algorithm. RESULTS: The combination of decision tree and logistics regression optimized the decision tree without affecting its AUC. The decision tree structure showed that lobulation was the most important feature, followed by spiculation, vessel convergence sign, nodule type, satellite nodule, nodule size and age of patient. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that decision tree analyses can be applied to screen individuals for early lung cancer with CT. Our decision tree provides a new way to help clinicians establish a logical diagnosis by a stepwise progression method, but still needs to be validated for prospective trials in a larger patient population.

[Inhibitory effects of Scutellaria barbate extracts on diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocarcinoma in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the inhibitory effects of Scutellaria barbate extracts on diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocarcinoma in rats. METHODS: Hepatocarcinoma model rats were induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN). Sixty SD male rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: normal control group, hepatocarcinoma model group, ESB of high dose group and ESB of low dose group. All rats were killed in the 18th week, the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyltransferase (gamma-GT) and alpha-L-fucosidase (AFU) in serum were measured by biochemical examinations; Hematoxy and eosin (HE) methods were used to examine the changes of liver pathology. RESULTS: The levels of ALT, AST, TBIL, ALP, gamma-GT, AFU in hepatocarcinoma model group and ESB groups were higher than that of control group (P < 0.05). ESB could relieve hepatic injures. The levels of liver function indexes in ESB groups were lower than that of model group. Histological examination demonstrated that the number of liver cancer nodus in ESB groups were lower than that of model group. Furthermore, ESB could attenuate the grade of cancer cell differentiation. CONCLUSION: ESB could inhibit experimental hepatocarcinoma and relieve hepatic injures in rats.

[Anti-proliferative and apoptosis-inducing activity of Scutellaria barbate containing serum on mouse's hepatoma H22 cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Scutellaria barbate extract (ESB) on suppressing proliferation and inducing apoptosis of mouse hepatoma H22 cells. METHODS: H22 cells cultured in vitro were divided into 5 groups: blank control group, ESB in high, medium, low dose groups and 5-Fu group. H22 cells were cultured in media with serum containing different concentrations of ESB and blank serum. The proliferation of H22 cells was determined by microculture tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Fluorescence microscopy was utilized to observe the apoptosis of H22 cells by staining with Hoechst 33258. The cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM). RESULTS: The inhibition of serum containing ESB on the proliferation of H22 cells in vitro was observerd in a dose and time dependent manner. The typical morphological changes of apoptosis were observed after incubation with ESB-containing serum in high dose for 48 hours. Among the various phases of cell cycle, the percentage of cells in S phase decreased significantly, while the percentage of cells in G1 phase increased. Drug-containing serum showed positive effect on cell apoptosis. The apoptosis rate of blank control group, ESB in low, medium, high dose groups and 5-Fu group were 0.51%, 1.07%, 3.15%, 7.83%, 11.26%, respectively. CONCLUSION: ESB containing serum can inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis of H22 cells in vitro.

[Effects of Scutellaria Barbata drug-containing serum on apoptosis and mitochondrial transmembrane potential of hepatoma H22 cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of serum containing Scutellaria Barbata extract (ESB) on apoptosis rate and mitochondrial transmembrane potential (MTP) of liver cancer cell line H22 from mice in vitro. METHODS: H22 cells were cultured in vitro and divided into 5 groups: blank control group, low-dose ESB group, medium-dose ESB group, high-dose ESB group and fluorouracil (5-Fu) group. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay was utilized to determine the proliferation rates of H22 cells. Cellular morphology was observed under a transmission electron microscope (EM). The rhodamine 123 was used as a fluorescence probe to label the H22 cells, and the fluorescence intensities were observed with a laser scanning confocal microscope. The fluorescence intensity of H22 cells indicated the MTP of H22 cells. RESULTS: The inhibition of serum containing ESB on the proliferation of H22 cells in vitro was observed in a time-dependent manner. The typical morphological changes of apoptosis were observed after incubation with ESB-containing serum in high dose for 48h. The apoptosis rates of blank control group, 5-Fu group, low-dose ESB group, medium-dose ESB group and high-dose ESB group were (0.51+/-0.32)%, (11.26+/-2.97)%, (1.07+/-0.46)%, (3.15+/-1.12)%, (7.83+/-2.25)% respectively. ESB could reduce the MTP of H22 cells from mice as compared with the untreated group. The MTPs of the blank control group, 5-Fu group, and low-, medium- and high-dose ESB groups were (245.45+/-67.37), (127.42+/-41.35), (213.68+/-65.52), (186.34+/-56.37) and (142.65+/-39.44) respectively, which were negatively correlated with the apoptosis rates. CONCLUSION: ESB-containing serum effectively induces apoptosis, which may be related to the decrease of MTP in H22 cells.

[Scutellaria barbata extract enhances efficacy and reduces toxicity of chemotherapy in hepatoma H22-bearing mice].

OBJECTIVE: To study the assistant effect of Scutellaria barbata extract (ESB) in 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy. METHODS: A mouse model of transplanted hepatoma H22 was used in this study to evaluate the synergic and attenuating effects of ESB in chemotherapy. Tumor inhibition rate, life span of mice and the toxicity of chemotherapy were observed. The body weight, tumor weight, thymus index and spleen index in H22-bearing mice were also measured. The phagocytotic function of macrophages was studied by observing phagocytization of peritoneal macrophages. RESULTS: The increase of body weight in 5-FU plus ESB groups was higher than that in 5-FU group, and the side effects such as anorexia, abdominal distention and athrepsy were relieved. Compared with untreated group, prolonged lifetime in 5-FU plus high-dose ESB group and 5-FU plus low-dose ESB group was improved. Life prolongation rates in 5-FU plus high-dose ESB group and 5-FU plus low-dose ESB group were 61.46% and 23.59% respectively. High-dose ESB, 5-FU, 5-FU plus low-dose ESB and 5-FU plus high-dose ESB could inhibit the tumor growth, and the tumor inhibition rates were 36.98%, 42.26%, 52.45% and 65.28%, respectively. Thymus index and spleen index were increased significantly in 5-FU plus low-dose ESB group and 5-FU plus high-dose ESB group. White blood cell (WBC) count was decreased obviously in 5-FU group, while the count of WBC was increased in 5-FU plus low-dose ESB group and 5-FU plus high-dose ESB group. The phagocytotic function of macrophages was also increased in 5-FU plus low-dose ESB group and 5-FU plus high-dose ESB group. CONCLUSION: ESB can enhance the effect of chemotherapy, relieve the side effects and improve immune function of mice in chemotherapy. These results suggest that ESB, as a biochemical modulator to enhance the therapeutic effects, is useful in cancer chemotherapy.

[Effect of matrine injections on invasion and metastasis of gastric carcinoma SGC-7901 cells in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of matrine injections on invasion and metastasis of gastric carcinoma SGC-7901 cells in vitro. METHODS: MTT assay was used to examine the effect of matrine injections on proliferation of SGC-7901 cells after 24, 48, 72, 96 hours treatment; Transwell chamber assay was performed to determine the effect of matrine injection on invasion and migratory capacity of the cells; Effect on adhesion potential of SGC-7901 cells was tested by cell matrigel adhesion assay. RESULTS: Matrine injec-tions could inhibit the proliferation of SGC-7901 cells, with obvious dose-dependent and time-dependent effects. Matrine injections sig-nificantly inhibited adhesion, invasion and migration capacity of SGC-7901 cells in vitro. The inhibitory rate of them after treatment with 1.5 mg/ml matrine injections for 24 h were (45.32 +/- 3.10)%, (32.66 +/- 2.82)%, (38.35 +/- 3.41)% respectively. After treat-ment of matrine injections (1.5 mg/ml)for 24 h, the expression level of CD44(V6) in SGC-7901 cells was decreased compared with the untreated group. CONCLUSION: Matrine injections can inhibit the migration, invasion and adhesion capacity of SGC-7901 cells in vitro. The inhibition effect may be related to down-regulating the expression of CD44(V6) protein.

Cardio-protective effects of Corocalm on acute myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the cardio-protective effects of Corocalm on acute myocardial ischemia in rats, and to explore its possible therapeutic mechanisms. METHODS: The acute ischemic model was prepared by ligating the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery in rats. The animals were divided into 6 groups, 8 in each group. The sham operated group underwent heart exposure without ligation and were treated with normal saline 3 ml/kg, while the other 5 groups, the model groups, consisted of acceptable acute ischemic model rats and were also treated with normal saline, with the Guanxin Capsule (GXC) group treated with refined GXC, 600 mg/kg, the low and high dose Corocalm groups treated with 85 mg/kg and 340 mg/kg of Corocalm respectively, and the Diltiazem group, treated with Diltiazem 5 mg/kg, with all the tested drugs prepared with normal saline into equal volume (3 ml/kg) and administrated once via duodenum 10 min before ligation. Myocardial infarction area was determined by the quantitative histological assay with nitroblue tetrazolium (N-BT) stain. And the levels of creatine phosphokinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in serum were measured by biochemical assay and spectrophotometry respectively. Besides, the blood viscosity in another 50 rats was determined, who received for 7 successive days oral administration with different concentration of Corocalm or aspirin. RESULTS: It showed that low and high dose Corocalm could significantly reduce the infarction area, inhibit the increase of serum CK, LDH activity and MDA content, and enhance the SOD activity after ischemia/reperfusion. The whole blood viscosity at different shear rates in rats treated with high dose Corocalm was significantly lower than those treated with normal saline (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Corocalm has favourable protective effects on heart in ischemic condition, the effect of which might be through its actions in inhibiting CK and LDH activity, scavenging oxygen free radicals, and lowering blood viscosity.

The Associations of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in miR196a2, miR-499, and miR-608 With Breast Cancer Susceptibility: A STROBE-Compliant Observational Study.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role as regulators of tumor suppressors and oncogenes in cancer-related processes. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in miRNAs have been shown to be relevant to various different cancers, including breast cancer (BC). The aim of this study was to estimate the associations between miRNA-related gene polymorphisms (miR-196a2, miR-499, and miR-608) and the risk of BC in a Chinese population. Gene polymorphisms were analyzed in 1143 subjects (controls = 583; BC = 560). The 3 SNPs were genotyped using the Sequenom Mass-ARRAY platform. The associations between the SNP frequencies and BC were assessed by computing odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs), as well as by applying Chi-square tests. The miR-196a2 (rs11614913) T allele was associated with a decreased risk of BC based on results from dominant (OR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.52-0.86), recessive (OR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.48-0.86), and allele models (OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.62-0.86). In contrast, the miR-499 (rs3746444) AG/GG genotypes were associated with an increased risk of BC (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.10-1.91), and miR-608 (rs4919510) was not significantly associated with BC risk. Our study suggested that the polymorphisms of rs11614913 and rs3746444 may be associated with BC risk in Chinese individuals.

Distinct role of the Fas rs1800682 and FasL rs763110 polymorphisms in determining the risk of breast cancer among Han Chinese females.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, studies have demonstrated that polymorphisms in the promoters of Fas and FasL are significantly associated with breast cancer risk. However, the results of these studies were inconsistent. This case-control study was performed to explore the associations between Fas rs1800682 and FasL rs763110 polymorphisms and breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A hospital-based case-control study of 560 Han Chinese females with breast cancer (583 controls) was conducted. The MassARRAY system was used to search for a possible association between the disease risk and the two single nucleotide polymorphisms, Fas rs1800682 and FasL rs763110. Statistical analyses were performed using SNPStats software to conduct Pearson's chi-square tests in five different genetic models. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated after adjustment to age and body mass index. PHASE v2.1 software was used to reconstruct all common haplotypes. RESULTS: A statistically significant association was found between Fas rs1800682 and increased breast cancer risk (AG vs AA: OR =1.37, 95% CI =1.06-1.78; AA+AG vs GG: OR =1.32, 95% CI =1.04-1.66), and also it was found that the FasL rs763110 polymorphism may decrease the risk. Stratified analyses demonstrated that the rs763110 polymorphism was associated with lower breast cancer risk among postmenopausal females (heterozygote model: OR =0.69, 95% CI =0.49-0.97; dominant model: OR =0.70, 95% CI =0.51-0.96). The T allele of rs763110 was also associated with a decreased risk of lymph node metastasis (allele model: OR =0.75, 95% CI =0.57-0.97) and an increased risk of the breast cancer being human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive (allele model: OR =1.37, 95% CI =1.03-1.18). Moreover, haplotype analysis showed that Ars1800682Trs763110 was associated to a statistically significant degree with lower risk of breast cancer (OR =0.70, 95% CI =0.53-0.91). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that the presence of Fas rs1800683 is an important risk factor for breast cancer, whereas FasL rs763110 may exert a protective effect against the onset of breast cancer.

Genetic Variation in Metastasis-Associated in Colon Cancer-1 and the Risk of Breast Cancer Among the Chinese Han Population: A STROBE-Compliant Observational Study.

Metastasis-associated in colon cancer-1 (MACC1), a newly identified oncogene, is involved in angiogenesis, invasiveness, and metastasis in many cancers. Epidemiological studies have indicated the associations between MACC1 polymorphisms and cancer risk. However, the association between genetic polymorphisms in MACC1 and breast cancer (BC) was not clear. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between MACC1 polymorphisms and BC risk.We genotyped 4 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in MACC1 (rs975263, rs1990172, rs3735615, rs4721888) to determine the haplotypes in 560 BC patients and 583 age-, sex-, and ethnicity-matched healthy individuals. Genotypes were determined using the Sequenom MassARRAY method. We estimated the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) using the chi-square test.There were significant differences between patients and controls in the MACC1 rs975263 allelic (T vs C: OR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.61-0.95, P = 0.014) and genotypic groups (TC vs TT: OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.54-0.92, P = 0.009; TC+CC vs TT: OR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.55-0.92, P = 0.008). Analysis of clinical features demonstrated significant associations between rs975263 and Scarff-Bloom-Richardson (SBR) grade 3 cancer (P = 0.006) and postmenopausal women (P = 0.018). Compared with the rs4721888 CC genotype, the frequency of rs4721888 GC and GC+CC variants was higher in patients. Further analysis revealed that the variant genotypes were positively associated with lymph node metastasis. However, we failed to find any relationships between rs1990172 or rs3735615 polymorphism and BC risk. In addition, haplotype analysis indicated that the CTGG and CTCG haplotypes (rs975263, rs1990172, rs3735615, rs4721888) were significantly associated with decreased susceptibility to BC (P = 0.029 and 0.019 respectively).Our results suggest that rs975263 and rs4721888 polymorphisms in MACC1 are associated with the risk of BC susceptibility and may be involved in the progression of BC in Chinese women.

PD-1 rs2227982 Polymorphism Is Associated With the Decreased Risk of Breast Cancer in Northwest Chinese Women: A Hospital-Based Observational Study.

Programmed death-1 (PD-1) is crucial in cancer and is well characterized as a negative T-cell regulator that functions by delivering inhibitory signals. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between PD-1 polymorphisms (rs10204525, rs2227982, and rs7421861) and breast cancer risk.We selected 560 breast cancer patients and 583 age-, sex-, and ethnicity-matched healthy controls from Northwest China. The PD-1 polymorphisms were genotyped by using Sequenom MassARRAY. Associations were estimated with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).For the rs10204525 and rs7421861 polymorphisms, no differences in breast cancer risk were found in any of the genetic models. For the rs2227982 polymorphism, the variant genotypes were significantly associated with decreased breast cancer risk (CT vs CC: OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.52-0.91; CT + TT vs CC: OR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.53-0.90). In analyses stratified by age, the decreased risk was observed among the younger subjects (OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.47-0.97). We found that the decreased risk observed for the variant genotypes of rs2227982 was associated with the Her-2 status (CT vs CC: OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.37-0.84; CT + TT vs CC: OR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.38-0.82). The haplotype analysis showed that the Ars10204525 Trs2227982 Crs7421861 haplotype was associated with a significantly decreased risk of breast cancer (OR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.34-0.75).Our findings support an association between the PD-1 rs2227982 polymorphism and decreased breast cancer risk, especially in Her-2 positive breast cancer patients in the Chinese population.